Facebook introduces sponsored stories in Ticker

Facebook has started introducing sponsored stories in the Ticker on the home page, the piece of content that allows users to see real-time updates of what their friends are doing.

According to Mashable, the feature now holds sponsored stories, which are bought by companies and used as types of advertisements.

“Sponsored Stories now appear in Ticker on the home page,” a spokesperson told the publication. “Sponsored Stories are an extension of News Feed, so we think it’s natural that they appear in Ticker.”

The move comes as Facebook is reportedly set to file for an IPO next month, with a Business Insider article predicting this week that Facebook would list before the end of 2012.